3 Amazing Days in Rome You Will Never Forget!
A Suggested Itinerary & Hints for You
Benvenuti a Roma! Welcome to Rome!
A Very Important Word or two on Tours:
- Check the size of your group, and check the ratings and reviews of the tour group you’re using.
- Check whether or not they will be using ear devices. Some people prefer earphones, others prefer hand-held ear devices.
- Always book ahead! Has this been done before you leave home?
- Carry your tour voucher printed with you. (If you are a group, designate one person to handle all of these.) I keep a file with all the vouchers organized by day. Each day I put that day’s vouchers in my purse.
- Make sure you check the length and strenuousness of the tour.
Traveling in Rome: You have a few choices: Walk, Taxi, Bus, Metro….. (for more info check out this article on Driving in Italy)
Taxis in Rome.
- We tend to use taxis more in Rome than anywhere. Why? Ease, the cost is not prohibitive, and safety. (Well, driving in Rome is a hazard in itself, but you don’t have to worry about pickpockets in a taxi.) Remember there is a starting fee (about three Euros, which goes up a bit at night.)
- Be sure to use only white registered taxis.
- You will find these taxis at orange taxi stands. When you get in, be sure they have a meter running. If not, get out. It will cost you more without the meter. When leaving your hotel, your Concierge can call one for you.
- Have cash available, and if paying with a larger bill, say, “I am giving you 20 Euros” because sometimes you may have a taxi driver who argues that you gave him a different amount.
- If using credit, make sure your taxi driver can take credit before getting in and never count on American Express.
- No need to tip….just round up to the nearest Euro if you like.
Day One—Arrival at the Rome Airport
Hints on Arrival and Getting to your Hotel:
- Do not schedule a tour for your first day in case you are late.
- Check to see if your hotel has a shuttle, or offers a pick-up (Do this from home).
- Know how much a taxi should cost between your hotel and the airport, with luggage. You can go online to figure this out. (Usually, it’s about 50 Euros). Limousine/van drivers will offer you “deals”. Listen carefully—some of them are good. We traveled (4 of us with 4 large bags and 6 small ones) for 75 Euros. Don’t be afraid to bargain.
- Have your hotel name and address written down and show that to the driver.
Day One (Arrival Day)…What are you near? Plot your location on a map before arrival:
Borghese Gardens and Spanish Steps by Day, Great Food and Trevi Fountain by Night
Our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, was near the Borghese Gardens, so we got directions from the hotel staff and took off through the garden walking to find the Spanish Steps. A long, but beautiful walk.
It was a warm day, and the shade was welcome. Fun to explore Italian culture and be among the locals enjoying their Sunday.
The Spanish Steps.
Where Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn plan their day together in Roman Holiday (sigh). Beautiful, with an engaging piazza at the bottom.
The Spanish Steps are surrounded by high-end retail establishments and restaurants. Check the menus before enjoying.
At this point, we needed a nap, so a taxi back to the hotel was welcome.
A Special Dinner for our first night in Rome.
Dinner at Ristorante al 34 (Via Mario de’ Fiori 34, (Piazza di Spagna)
Great food and great service, family-owned, full of Italians, not tourists (That’s a great sign.) Booked from home. Here is the website if you decide to book.
I highly recommend it. (Be sure to state that you want Italian time…). Order the fried zucchini blossoms….Yum! It’s a cultural must!
Guess what’s close to this restaurant? The Trevi Fountain!
Ask for directions and take off! Yes, it’s crowded at night, but the lighting and ambiance is magical still. Don’t forget to throw a coin in the fountain (Over your right shoulder) so you return to Rome!
Hint: Pickpockets abound here so put your parcels, purses, backpacks, and camera bags in front and keep your eyes open.
Day Two—The Vatican, St. Peter’s, Sistine Chapel, Alice Pizza, and a Food Tour in Trastavere. Oh my!
Note: Dress appropriately, as you may be denied entrance otherwise.
The Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s
When you come to Rome, you must see St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican, and the Sistine Chapel. Don’t even think about doing this without a guide.
With a guide, the tickets are pre-purchased and you meet at the start of the line and go right in. We passed hundreds waiting in the hot sun. We booked a private tour with Tour Roma. The cost, for four of us, was just a little more than booking a group tour, and worth every Euro. Here is the tour company we have used twice for the Vatican: www.tourroma.com
For this very special visit, we prefer a private tour. Our tour leader for our group of four was Donatella and she was fantastic.
She sought out places for us to sit in the shade in the Vatican Gardens so she could explain all the fine points of the sites we were about to see. She explained the political and artistic cultures of the day and the influences that helped Michelangelo to complete the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
She had teaching aids, including a map of the Sistine Chapel and pictures of the paintings and tapestries we would see when in the Chapel. (No talking is allowed in the Sistine Chapel itself, so if you are not prepared ahead of time, you are lost.)
Side note: Donatella even “begged” some water for us from a vendor, who was not wanting to share. I don’t know what she said in Italian, but it must have been “These are old people and they are dying”…because it worked. Do we look old to you??
Donatella knew how to go from the Chapel directly to St. Peter’s without going outside to another line. This saved us hours.
Alice Pizza for lunch
You’re in Rome! Want the best pizza of your life, with a crispy crust? Just blocks from the Vatican, on Via Delle Grazie, 7, you will find that pizza!!!
You sit on the steps and enjoy the best pizza ever, Italian style. Thank you, Donatella, for taking us there.
Shopping note:
Continue to the end of Via Delle Grazie to find some very inexpensive souvenir shops, with Rome scarves, keychains, aprons, dish towels, and more, many for as low as one Euro.
Food tour in Trastevere:
Knowing that Trastevere is a popular neighborhood in Rome, we booked a food tour there. (We decided to walk from the Vatican and take our time, but you could easily take a cab.)
We have taken food tours in Florence, and in the US, including Hawaii, and love to sample the local food while getting hints on where and what to eat.
This one was billed as Budget Food Tour of Trastevere and it was!! The real name is “Budget-Friendly Street Food Tour of Trastevere Quarter in Rome”, and our guide, Virginia, was knowledgeable, local, and friendly.
The word “budget” is not used lightly here, because if you price around, you will find this tour is truly a bargain. There was nothing budgeted for the food or the tour guide, however.
This tour is scheduled through Trip Advisor:
Virginia first took us to a pastry shop to taste homemade cookies and crackers, then on to a suppli store (fried rice balls with a marinara and cheese center—amazing!).
Interestingly enough, both of these eating establishments had no exterior signs. Locals know where they are and no sign is needed.
In between the food offerings, Virginia treated us to a history of this neighborhood, and a visit to the Church of Santa Cecelia, the patron saint of musicians.
Next, it was off to a salami merchant to sample salami and cheese.
Wonderful with the crackers we had picked up earlier. We added some olives and shared them with the other members of our tour. By now we were already getting full, but we still had more to go.
Pizza is one of the oldest pizzerias in the area was next, which was another treat. Again, it was the crispy crust we found to be the trademark of Roman pizza. Then Virginia took us to a Gelateria for a lesson on how to select a good gelato stand, and to sample heavenly gelato.
No need for a formal dinner this night.
We all agreed this tour was well worth the time and money! And now we have a broader understanding of Italian food and Trastevere.
Day Three—The Forum, Colosseum, Mamertine Prison, St. Peter in Chains, Pantheon, and Piazza Navona
The Roman Forum and the Colosseum (The Gladiator’s Gate)
Our Tour Guide: Manuela from Walks of Italy: We chose “Walks” based on their reviews, the competitive price, the size of the group, and the audio headsets they offer. We were not disappointed.
Another must! in Rome. The Roman Forum is the site of the political, social, and cultural center of ancient Rome. It is basically a field full of ruins, which will have no meaning without a guide. Manuela was very knowledgeable, easy to understand, and kept us constantly moving. She scheduled time for a restroom break and water break as well.
Manuela then took us to the Colosseum (again without a wait) to the Gladiator’s Gate, which allowed us access to the arena floor of the Colosseum (not possible without a guide).
Her knowledge of the history—gladiators, animals, the ruling class, the structure, and even Russell Crowe—made the tour continually interesting and fun.
By now, it’s time for lunch.
Search out a spot by the Colosseum…..the one we chose was not that great.
Two Sites for Christians Very Close to the Colosseum: St. Peter in Chains Church, and Mamertine Prison
St. Peter in Chains Church
The church of San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) is named for the chains that are on display there that supposedly held Peter when he was imprisoned in Rome and in Jerusalem.
The story is that there were two lengths of chains originally that fused themselves together into one chain. The other highlight of this church is Michelangelo’s massive Moses.
Note: This church is up a steep hill across the road from the Colosseum. Check out a map and ask people as you go.
Mamertine Prison
This ancient prison still stands, and supposedly held Peter and Paul when they were imprisoned in Rome. Since it was the only prison in Rome at the time, it is probably true that Peter was imprisoned there, though possibly not Paul, who had more rights as a Roman citizen. Nevertheless, the visit is worth the price of admission.
It is daunting to think of prisoners being dropped from a hole in the ceiling into the dark depths of the stone prison, undoubtedly full of refuse and rodents, not spotlessly clean as we view it today.
The prison is very close to the Forum, and at the bottom of Palatine Hill. If you are walking from the Colosseum/Forum back toward the city of Rome, you will see a sign leading off to the left. If you get to the “Birthday Cake” (nickname for Vittorio Emanuele II Monument), you have gone too far.
Next: The Pantheon
Another must! in Rome.
An architectural masterpiece, the Pantheon is the best preserved of all the ancient Roman buildings. It is free to visit and a peaceful respite from all the touring and walking.
The hole in the top of its massive dome is open to the sky (Just visit during a rain shower to know for sure.)
Piazza Novona
A perfect place to end a busy, busy day, and our stay in Rome.
Shopping Hint: Traveling from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona, you may encounter some leather shops. With three fountains, musicians and artists surrounding, it is the perfect place for an evening meal. Most guides to Rome suggest not to eat in the main squares because of the price, but there is something magical about having dinner in such a place.
Check out the menus and eat on the square. We chose Ai Tre Tartufi Ristorante and were very pleased. Vincente, our waiter, made the experience fun and lively.
We had lasagna and my favorite, Caprese salad.
Leaving Rome, we had seen it all…..and made lifelong memories.
Arrivederci Roma.
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